214 MARSHALL— A STUDY OF THE [June i 9 , 



tilus, Nyctidromus and Chordeiles. Of these genera Phalcenoptilus 

 extends from Guatemala northward in the western United States 

 nearly to British Columbia, and is represented by three geograph- 

 ical races of one species. This genus was first established by Ridg- 

 way (1880), and is defined as follows by Coues (1903) : "Nos- 

 trils tubular, cylindrical, opening forward and outward. Rictal 

 bristles immense, but simple. Tarsus naked except just on the 

 joint above (as in Nyctidromus), as long as middle toe without 

 claw. Tail square, much shorter than the rounded wings, which 

 fold nearly to its end." No anatomical description of this genus 

 has heretofore appeared so far as the writer knows. 



The aim of this study is the interesting question of the homol- 

 ogies of the Caprimulgi. Fiirbringer (/. c. ) discusses at length 

 the varying views on their relationship to Ardeidae, Glareolidae, 

 Strigidae, Cuculidas, Galbulidae, Trogonidae, Coraciidae, Leptoso- 

 midae, Todidae, Momotidae, Coliidae, Cypselidae, Trochilidae and 

 Passeres (Eurylcemus, Hirundo), and sums up his position in these 

 words : " On the ground of the given comparisons, I am inclined 

 to regard the Caprimulgidae, Steatornithidse and Podargidae as 

 independent but closely related families, and as united under Capri- 

 mulgi ; they stand in remarkable genealogical relations in the first 

 line to the Striges and Coraciae and in the second to the Trogonidae 

 and Cypselidae, while the relation to the other families coming in 

 question is less near and direct." Gadow (1891), considers the 

 Caprimulgi as related ancestrally to the Striges and laterally first 

 with the Coraciae and second with the Cypseli. It soon became 

 apparent to the writer that this problem of affinities could not be 

 settled by the investigation of a single genus. Accordingly this 

 paper is intended to be the first of a series dealing with these birds, 

 and is essentially descriptive, general theoretical considerations 

 being postponed until personal studies have been made upon other 

 forms. Because there was not time to describe the whole anatomy 

 it seemed advisable to omit the osteology, since most of the previous 

 work has been done upon the skeleton. 



Special anatomical monographs upon such species of birds are so 

 few, and yet so much needed, that it is hoped this one may be of 

 some service to comparative anatomists. 



The material used consisted of two entire adult females secured by 

 Dr. Thos. H. Montgomery, Jr., in the month of June, 1904, in 



